Combined filing and display device



Aug. 29, 1950 M. GREEN 2,520,451

COMBINED FILING AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 15, 1949 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M252"); green 7 Aug. 2,, 195@ M. GREEN COMBINED FILING AND DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1949 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED FILING AND DISPLAY DEVICE Martin Green, Mahwah, N. J.

Application April l5, 1949, Seria'l'No. 87 ,721

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means for filing orstoring a multiplicity of photographs, picture or other cards or sheets and like matte subject to selective display, and subject to easy selective removal and replacement if desired.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel filing or storing device for the stated purposes which is of very simple and inexpensive construction; which provides a large holding capacity for a multiplicity of items; each item being removably held in an individual transparent envelope or pocket-like receptacle; the device including a novel column or stand having means ior detachably supporting the envelopes or receptacles for radial extension therefrom, and subject to such movement in connection with the supporting means, relative one to another, .as to permit selective exposed disposition of an envelope or receptacle subject todisplay of its content.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the filing and storing device; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 3-3 inFig. 2, but drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is another longitudinal sectional view, taken on line :i-i in Fig. 2, also drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is another horizontal sectional view, taken on line 66 in Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a top plan view showing part of the envelope or receptacle supporting means of the column or stand in opened condition; Fig. 8 is a plan view of an envelope or receptacle supporting means detached from the column or stand; and Fig. 9 is a side edge elevation of said supporting means.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, toindicate corresponding parts.

The novel filing or storing device according to this invention comprises a perpendicular col umn formed by a lower section 10 and an upper section 5 i. The lower column I ii is footed upon a hollow circular base shell l2 having a dependent peripheral skirt or side flange i3. Said lower section it is secured in assembled and supported relation to the base shell l2 by an anchor screw it having a head 85. The upper end of the lower column section [0 is provided with .a screwthreaded coupling shank IE of reduced diameter, thus providing a shoulder I! at the juncture of said shanl; with said lower column section. Said threaded shank I6 is adapted to screw into the lower :end of the upper column section I I. Assembled with and between the thus jointed ends of the slower and upper column sections 10 and :H is .a circular top shell 18 which is also provided with a dependent peripheral skirt .or side flange l9.

Assembled respectively in connection with the base shell l2 and with the top shell lBaresupporting elements upon which ,a plurality of envelopes or receptacles (hereinafter described) can be detachably mounted. Each said supporting element consists in a formation produced from resilient or springy wire, and each such formation comprises a length of wire which is doubled upon itself to provide an eye loop 20 adapted to be disposed in vertical plane. One arm 2! of the eye loop 29 is adapted to be outwardly bowed in one direction in horizontal plane, and the other arm 22 of said eye loop is adapted to be outwardly bowed in the opposite direction in horizontal plane; the disposition of the rearward end portions of said arms be such that they preferably cross one another. The combined length of the eye loop 20 and its arms 2i and22 substantially exceeds the diametricdimension of the base shell i2 and that of the top shell i8. One arm of theformation, e. g. the arm 2l, is bent to form a semi-circular carrier member 23 which extends in one direction, and which terminates in a latching hook 24 adapted to be entered through the eye loop 29 so as to be releasably hooked thereto, whereby to close the carrier member 2'3. "In like manner, the other arm of the formation, i. e., the arm 22, is bent to form a second semi-circular carrier member '25 which extends in the opposite direction, and which also terminates in a latching hook 25 adapted to be entered through the eye loop 20 so as to be releasably hooked thereto, whereby to close said second carrier member 25.

The said supporting elements are respectively assembled one with the base shell I2 and the other with thetop shell, l8, before said shells and'the column sections I9 and H are joinedin stand forming relation. To permit such assembly, each shell is provided in its skirt or side flange with diametrically opposite openings 2] and 28; the latter opening being preferably in the form of a perpendicular slot for reception of the eye loop 28, so as to assure retention of said eye loop in its normal vertical plane.

In assembling a supporting element with a shell, the latching hooks 24 and 26 are disconnected from the eye loop 20, whereupon the eye loop end of the element is inserted through the opening 21 at one side of the shell to pass beneath the body of said shell, and thence through the opening 28 at the opposite side of said shell, so as to project exteriorly therefrom, and so that the rearward end portions of the arms 2| and 22 of the element are disposed to project exteriorly from said shell, whereby the respective carrier members 23 and are disposed to concentrically encircle the exterior of the shell in outwardly offset spaced relation to the periphery thereof.

After a supporting element is assembled with the base shell l2, the latter is ready to be joined to the bottom end of the lower column section In. This is done by passing the anchor screw l4 upwardly between the bowed arms 2| and 22 of the element, and thence through the body of the shell to screw into the bottom end of the column section Ill, until the head l5 of the anchor screw binds against said arms 2| and 22, thus not only firmly fastening the column section III to the base shell l2, but, at the same time, securely binding the supporting element to the shell against shifting displacement from its proper assembled relation thereto. If desired, a washer 29 may be interposed between the head l5 of the anchor screw l4 and the arms 2| and 22 of the supporting element.

The top shell i8, with a supporting element assembled therewith, is next joined with the upper column section H to the upper end of the lower column section It). This is accomplished by passing the screw-threaded coupling shank of the lower column section I0 between the bowed arms 2! and 22 of the supporting element assembled with the top shell l8, and thence through the latter to screw into the lower end of the column section II, and so that the shoulder ll of said lower column section If! binds against said element arms 2| and 22, whereby not only is the topv shell l8 and upper column section II firmly coupled together and to the lower column section H], but also the supporting element is securely bound to the top shell l8 against shifting displacement from its proper assembled relation thereto. If desired a washer may be interposed between the shoulder I1 and the arms 2| and 22 of the supporting element.

Upon assembly of the shells I2 and I8 and their supporting elements in connection with the joined column sections I0 and l in the manner above described, a stand structure is provided wherein the carrier members 23 and 25 of the supporting elements are vertically spaced apart ready to receive application thereto of the hereinafter described envelopes or receptacles of the device.

Corresponding carrier members 23 and 25 of the supporting elements, as assembled in connection with and as parts of the stand structure, are vertically spaced apart in aligned relation, and are thus adapted to support a multiplicity of envelopes or receptacles 32. Each envelope or receptacle 32 is made wholly, or at least in part, from transparent material, such e. g. as a. transparent cellulosic sheet material, and is formed to provide an upwardly open pocket into which an item 33, such as a photograph, picture, or the like, may be inserted for filing or storage therein, so as to be visible through a transparent wall of the envelope or receptacle. Each envelope or receptacle is provided in a longitudinal side marginal portion thereof with perforations which are vertically spaced in correspondence to the vertical spacing of the carrier members 23 and 25, whereby said envelope or receptacle may be threaded onto either the aligned carrier members 23 or the aligned carrier members 25, as the case may be, so as to extend therefrom in radial relation to the stand structure.

Preparatory to so mounting the envelopes or receptacles 32 on selected carrier members 23 or 25, the latching hooks 24 and 26 are disengaged from the eye loops 2|! of the supporting elements, thus freeing the extremities of the carrier members for insertion through the perforate marginal portions of the envelopes or reecptacles. After the carrier members 23 and 25 have been loaded with the envelopes or receptacles desired to be supported thereby, the latching hooks 24 and 26 are reengaged with the eye loops 2!], thus closing the carrier members against escape therefrom of the envelopes or receptacles mounted thereon.

It will be obvious that a very considerable number of the envelopes or receptacles may be thus mounted on and supported by the carrier members 23 and 25, and that, when so mounted, said envelopes or receptacles can be moved on and swung relative to the carrier members, in manner similar to turning of the pages of a book, whereby to select and separate from its fellows any given envelope or receptacle so that the item 33 contained therein may be conveniently disposed for display or inspection.

From the above it will be apparent that the instant invention provides a very compact means for filing and storing a multiplicity of items subject to selective display, and also subject to easy selective removal and replacement when so desired.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for the purposes described comprising a perpendicular column, a hollow base shell on which said column is footed, a hollow top shell affixed to said column in upwardly spaced relation to the base shell, each shell havllflg a supporting element formed from wire to provide an eye loop disposed to radially project exteriorly from a side Of the shell, said eye loop having a pair of arms extending diametrically across the shell in straddling relation to said column to project from the opposite side of the shell, said arms terminating in semi-circular carrier members extending respectively therefrom in opposite directions so as to be outwardly spaced in concentrically encircling relation to the shell exterior, each carrier member terminating in a latching hook releasably engageable with the eye loop, and upwardly open transparent envelopes adapted to be mounted on and between carrier members of said shells, whereby to extend radially outward therefrom.

2. A device for the purposes described comprising a perpendicular column, a base shell having dependent annular side walls, means for securing the column to the base shell for upstanding axial extension therefrom, a top shell also having dependent annular side walls, means for affixing said top shell to the column in upwardly spaced aligned relation to the base shell, each shell having diametrically aligned openings in its side walls, each shell having a supporting element formed from wire to provide an eye loop disposed to project exteriorly from the shell through one side wall opening thereof, said eye loop having arms extending diametrically across the shell to project exteriorly therefrom through the opposite side wall opening thereof, said arms terminating in semi-circular carrier members extending respectively therefrom in opposite directions so as to be outwardly spaced in concentrically encircling relation to the shell exterior, each carrier member terminating in a latching hook releasably engageable with the eye loop, and upwardly open transparent envelopes having side marginal portions threaded over corresponding carrier members so as to extend therebetween and radial- 1y outward therefrom.

3. A device for the purposes described com prising a hollow base shell, a hollow top shell, a lower column section, fastening screw means engaged through the base shell whereby to secure said lower column section thereto, an upper column section, fastening screw means connected with the upper end of the lower column section engaged through the top shell whereby to secure said top shell and upper column section to the lower column section, a supporting element mounted in connection with each shell including a single eye loop disposed to radially project exteriorly from the side of the shell and carrier members having end portions disposed to radially project exteriorly from the diametrically opposite side of the shell, said carrier members being of semi-circular shape to extend in opposite directions in concentrically encircling and outwardly spaced relation to the shell, each carrier member terminating in a latching hook releasably engageable With the eye loop, and upwardly open transparent envelopes having side marginal portions thereof threaded over corresponding carrier members so as to extend therebetween and radially outward therefrom.

4. A device for the purposes described comprising a base shell having dependent annular side walls, a top shell also having dependent annular side walls, each shell having diametrically aligned openings in its side walls, each shell having a supporting element formed from wire to provide an eye loop disposed to project exteriorly from the shell through one side wall opening thereof, said eye loop having outwardly bowed arms extending diametrically across the shell interior to project exteriorly therefrom through the opposite side wall opening thereof, said arms terminating in semi-circular carrier members extending respectively therefrom in opposite directions so as to be outwardly spaced in concentrically encircling relation to th shell exterior, each carrier member terminating in a latching hook releasably engageable with the eye loop, a lower column section fastening screw means engaged through the base shell and extending between the eye loop arms of its supporting element, whereby to secure said lower column section to the base shell, an upper column section, fastening screw means connected with the upper end of the lower column section engaged through the top shell and extending between the eye loop arms of its supporting element, whereby to secure the upper column section and said top shell to the lower column section, and upwardly open transparent envelopes having side marginal portions thereof threaded over corresponding carrier members so as to extend therebetween and radially outward therefrom.

MARTIN GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 502,716 Hafkemeyer Aug. 8, 1893 1,766,940 Powell June 24, 1930 2,147,773 Larson Feb. 21, 1939 

